Palace maid Shuoning

(One)

The carriage slowly came to a stop at the alley entrance. Jiang Shuoning stepped off the carriage in a daze, casually tossed a bag of silver to the driver, and then turned and walked towards the market.

The driver watched her lonely figure disappear into the distance, weighed the money pouch in his hand, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.

Just as he was about to whip his horse and leave, a dark figure suddenly blocked the way in front of the carriage; it was Bao Zhong.

The driver was suddenly startled.

"Hand it over." Bao Zhong's expression was cold and stern as he opened his palm.

The coachman's face turned pale instantly, but he forced himself to remain calm: "Young master, are you... planning to rob me on the road?"

Bao Zhong was too lazy to say anything more. He reached out and grabbed Bao Zhong's collar, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

The driver was shocked and hurriedly reached out to grab it, but Baozhong kicked him to the ground.

He unfolded the paper, and there was a drawing of the thatched cottage in the eastern suburbs.

Bao Zhong's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he lowered his voice to a whisper: "Who sent you?"

The driver suddenly scrambled to his feet, clenched his fists, and lunged at him fiercely.

A fight broke out instantly in the alley, and within a few moves, the coachman was knocked to the ground again.

Bao Zhong stepped on his chest, leaned forward slightly, his long, white hair falling over his shoulders, his gaze sharp as a blade:

"I sensed something was amiss and kept an eye on your movements, but I thought you were just an ordinary driver."

I never expected you to draw this map of the thatched hut. Tell me! Who assigned you this task?

The driver was pinned to the cold ground, his muscles and bones aching terribly. He had no will to resist and frantically struggled to his knees, begging for mercy, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"Young master, spare my life! It's Prince Jingchen! I'm Prince Jingchen's secret guard! The prince had ordered us to secretly monitor the concubine's every move day and night! Tonight, the concubine dismissed the guards and went out alone, so I took the opportunity to impersonate an ordinary coachman!"

Bao Zhong's eyes suddenly darkened, his fingers slowly tightened, and his heart was instantly filled with turmoil.

He pondered for a moment, then pressed on in a cold voice, "Does Prince Jingchen know that this thatched hut is my and Huo Xiao's secret hideout? What exactly is he trying to achieve by setting this up?"

The driver was panting heavily, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"His Highness only ordered me to keep watch and record the concubine's movements. I am of low rank, and I am unaware of any deeper schemes!"

Upon hearing this, Bao Zhong's eyes flashed with coldness as he slowly withdrew his foot from Bao Zhong's chest.

The driver breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly struggled to his feet.

The next instant, Bao Zhong's eyes darkened, and he moved closer, suddenly grabbing Bao Zhong's neck with one hand, the force ruthless and decisive.

A faint, crisp sound was heard.

With a swift twist of his fingertips, the driver struggled for only a moment before his limbs went limp, his eyes widened, and he fell heavily to the ground, lifeless.

A cold wind swept through the alley, stirring up a fine layer of snow.

Bao Zhong remained completely calm as he glanced down at the corpse on the ground.

He calmly folded the blueprint of the thatched hut, tucked it into his sleeve, turned around, and with heavy, swift steps, quickly disappeared into the depths of the dark alley.

Moments later, passersby caught sight of the corpse in the alley and suddenly screamed in horror:

"Someone's dead! Someone's dead in the alley!"

A sudden burst of shouts and screams echoed throughout the entire street.

It's past midnight.

Huo Xiao then stepped out of the Prince's mansion and immediately rode back to his own residence.

The mansion gates stood silently, the night deep and still.

He had just dismounted and was about to step onto the steps when a cold wind suddenly swept past him, and a dark shadow flashed by and disappeared into the shadows at the end of the alley.

Huo Xiao's heart tightened suddenly, all the weariness in his eyes disappeared, and he instantly tensed up.

Without a second thought, he immediately abandoned his entry-level movements, his toes barely touching the ground as he moved with lightning speed, chasing after the direction in which the dark figure had disappeared.

The streets and alleys were deserted and desolate in the dead of night, with the wind rustling and undercurrents surging.

(two)

The night was cold, and the snow fell softly.

A stone bridge spans the cold water, and a lone boat is gently moored on the shore beneath it, quietly resting in the deep night, its hull covered with a thin layer of snow.

Snowflakes drifted gently in the wind, falling softly onto the bridge railings, boat awnings, and the cool water.

A few pedestrians were still returning home late on both sides of the long bridge, hurrying along, their figures blurred and thin by the night and the flying snow.

A cold wind carrying snow swept across the area, leaving only the stone bridge, a still bay, and a lone boat.

Everything was shrouded in a quiet, vast, and desolate snowy night, cold and lonely.

Inside the cabin, the candlelight flickered, illuminating the solemn faces of the two men.

Bao Zhong's face was icy cold as he pushed the blueprint for the thatched hut in front of Huo Xiao, who was sitting opposite him, and his voice was low and deep:

"Brother Huo, if I hadn't gone to the eastern suburbs tonight, the news of my meeting with Shuoning at your thatched cottage would probably have already reached the Prince's ears."

How could you act so carelessly? My plan to feign allegiance to the Crown Prince should have been known to as few people as possible. But you went and placed Shuoning in your secret location. Don't you think you've caused her enough trouble already?

Huo Xiao lowered his gaze to the blueprints in his hand, his expression gradually hardening, his tone revealing a hint of cold helplessness:

"I never expected that the Prince would secretly plant people to monitor his concubine day and night. He is now deeply suspicious and obsessive, leaving no room for his concubine to maneuver."

Bao Zhong's chest heaved violently, his eyes blazing with anger, and his tone was cold and piercing:

"He has always acted in extreme ways, was narrow-minded, and lacked the demeanor of a crown prince. With such a mindset, he will ultimately find it difficult to achieve great things."

Once the Crown Prince's power crumbles and the court is reshuffled, the Emperor will see him as utterly hopeless, a hopeless and incompetent ruler.

Upon hearing this, Huo Xiao raised his hand and slowly tore the blueprint in his hand to shreds, the scraps of paper falling onto the table.

He raised his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips, and slowly said as if he understood everything:

"Zhou Zhengyin is a very complex and contradictory person. When he is arrogant, he is overbearing and stubborn, and he often uses his power to manipulate others."

But upon closer examination, he harbors a childish obsession at his core. Tonight, I had a long conversation with him at the Prince's mansion. He repeatedly mentioned wanting to marry my sister, seemingly using force and coercion to compel me to serve him wholeheartedly.

But I heard it clearly; from beginning to end, it was nothing but a bluff to scare people.

As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Xiao's smile vanished, and his expression suddenly turned serious.

"There is another important matter I need to tell you. The reason why the Prince was suddenly released from confinement ahead of schedule was because Zhou Xiao secretly pleaded with Consort Qi. Zhou Xiao has already sided with him and is willing to risk his life for him."

Bao Zhong was taken aback upon hearing this, his brows furrowing: "Why is that?"

Huo Xiao found it difficult to explain for a moment, and let out a deep sigh:

"Zhou Xiao and the princess were having an affair, which was discovered by the prince. Zhou Zhengyin then used this secret as leverage to coerce Zhou Xiao into obeying him."

Tonight, the prince told me about this matter in person. On the surface, he seemed to believe that I had wholeheartedly submitted to him, but in his heart, he had never truly trusted me. Yet, he chose to tell me such a secret and important matter.

I really can't figure him out; I have no idea what he's up to.

Bao Zhong's pupils suddenly contracted, his face filled with astonishment, and his heart trembled violently.

First came the secret rendezvous between the Crown Prince and the Emperor's favorite concubine, and now the affair between Zhou Xiao and Zhou Zhengyin's princess has been exposed.

He took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "These are all earth-shattering scandals that could destroy a family's fortune..."

Huo Xiao frowned, his gaze turning serious as he looked at him: "One thing after another? You know of other inside information?"

Bao Zhong slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his face somber, and his voice extremely low:

"These are all sordid matters that are difficult to disclose to the public. It is not surprising that Zhou Zhengyin would become so obsessed."

My defection to the Crown Prince's camp was already a major blow to him; now that the Princess Consort's affair has been exposed, it's another blow.

Misfortunes followed one after another, and coupled with the already weak imperial favor, the collapse of public morale was inevitable under such immense pressure.

Huo Xiao nodded slightly: "In my opinion, Your Highness is always two-faced. I always feel that something is wrong, but I can't quite put my finger on why."

Bao Zhong slowly spoke: "That's just his nature, unpredictable and fickle. Let's leave it at that for now."

Meng Tuoluo's wicked scheme is about to unfold again, orchestrated by Zhou Jin. This time, however, it's under a different guise: "Lovesickness Seed." You should deliver this information to the Prince, allowing him to seize this leverage.

Huo Xiao tapped the wooden table in the cabin lightly with his fingertips. The candlelight flickered in his eyes. After a moment's thought, he spoke:

"The acacia seed... Zhou Jin knows how to deceive people; he thinks he can get away with it by changing the name."

This matter is of great importance. I will find a safe channel to deliver the message to the Prince.

But you need to think carefully: once it's in the prince's hands, this sharp blade might not only end up piercing Zhou Jin.

Bao Zhong calmly replied, "I know."

As soon as he finished speaking, he looked up and stared directly at Huo Xiao, then suddenly changed the subject: "Brother Huo, why are you so reluctant to get married?"

The sudden question startled Huo Xiao slightly. He raised his hand and waved it, his tone indifferent: "No need to mention it. I have never been interested in matters of marriage between men and women."

Bao Zhong's gaze lingered on his face, a hint of insightful understanding in his eyes, as he slowly pressed for an answer:

"Is he uninterested in marriage, or does he already have someone else in his heart?"